Oh this living room! It pained me for so long because it was one of the first areas guests would see but one of the last we refinished. But now when I look at photos, it makes my heart happy.

Candle Holder || Yellow Pillow

And although it was never perfect, it sure was fun to plan and decorate and update.

Bernhardt Dining Table and Chairs

Sunburst Mirror Upcycle

Aqua Serving Tray: Decor Steals, Stone and Wood Animals: South Africa, Pail and White Serving Tray

Stamped Mason Jar || Give Thanks Board

Before, when you walked into the room, you saw this…an eternally long wall with nothing on it. Decorating it was a nightmare, but we had plans.

By creating a pass-through window to the kitchen and adding access to the bathroom from the front room, it completely broke up the monotony of the wall. And it was a lot more practical because of both changes.

The single change that made the biggest impact in the room was sanding and refinishing the floors. They were a softer wood, and they’ve been refinished several times before so we were lucky to get one final sanding out of them. There’s something so beautiful about wood grain. We went with just a clear coat instead of stain, and although I love the look of darker floors, I don’t love caring for them. The natural color really worked well with the finished colors though.

You get the picture when I say the whole room looked like this–just dreary and nothing special. But the fresh walls, white trim, and refinished floors took it from dingy to inviting.

Pocket watch clock: Decor steals

Paint: Walls: Behr’s Sterling, Trim: Behr Ultra White

What would you have changed in this room? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Lisa

Lisa Mabey blogs at Mabey She Made It about DIY, Crafts, Home Decor, and Sewing.

View Comments

Recent Posts

Flora and Fauna Sewing

As promised in my intro post about the Flora and Fauna fabric that's now out…

4 years ago

Sewing Supplies that Will Make Your Life Easier

There’s An Easier Way to Do That You’ve got all the basic sewing tools, and…

4 years ago

Flora and Fauna Mini Collection

I designed a mini collection of fabric! I feel like shouting it from the rooftops,…

4 years ago

My First Foray into Fabric Design

Do you ever get a chance that just feels right and you jump after it…

4 years ago

Should I Buy That New Pattern?

Tips for building a solid pattern library and saving yourself money in the process.

4 years ago

How to Save on Fabric

A long while back I was part of a great blog tour based on the…

4 years ago

This website uses cookies.